Method of and apparatus for severing strips of material

Abstract

A strip is composed of a plurality of successive groups of successive strip sections. The strip is provided with end-of-group indications coordinated with the ends of the respective groups of strip sections. The strip is transported backwards along a predetermined path so that each end-of-group marking precedes the first section of the respective group of sections. A detector located at a predetermined position along the transport path detects the end-of-group markings and generates corresponding end-of-order signals. The end-of-order signals are applied to a storage device. In response to each end-of-order signal, the storage device activates a separating device for separating one order from the next. However, the activation occurs only after the elapse of a time delay compensating for the backward transport of the strip. Thus, if prior to such backward transport the strip is transported forward for processing and during such forward transport fed to a take-up roller, the possibility of performing the detecting and separating operations during backward transport of the strip makes unnecessary unrolling and rerolling of the strip for a renewed forward transport.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. 
     
       1. In a method of processing a strip composed of a plurality of successive groups of successive strip sections each bearing a respective photographic image, each group of strip sections constituting one order, the strip being provided with end-of-order markings each coordinated with the last image of the respective order and located near the end of the respective order, in combination, the steps of transporting the strip backwards along a predetermined path so that each end-of-order marking precedes the first image of the respective order; using a detector located at a predetermined position along said path for detecting the end-of-order markings and generating corresponding end-of-order signals; in response to each generated end-of-order signal generating a corresponding activating signal, by applying the end-of-order signal to a time-delay device, setting the time-delay device for a time delay compensating for the backward transport of the strip and utilizing the time-delayed end-of-order signal as the activating signal; and applying the activating signals to a separating means to cause the latter to separate one order from the next. 
     
     
       2. The method defined in claim 1; further including the step of first transporting the strip forwards prior to the step of transporting the strip backwards, and during the forward transport processing the strip and feeding the strip to a take-up roller and rolling the strip thereonto, the step of transporting the strip backwards comprising pulling the strip off the take-up roller and transporting the strip backwards so that each end-of-order marking precedes the first image of the respective order, whereby the detection of the end-of-order markings and the separating of the orders in response thereto can be performed without preliminary unrolling and rerolling of the strip for a renewed forward transport. 
     
     
       3. In an apparatus for processing a strip composed of a plurality of successive groups of successive strip sections, each strip section bearing at least one respective photographic image, each group of strip sections constituting one customer order, each strip section being provided with an individual-section marking, each group of strip sections being provided with an end-of-order marking coordinated with the last image of the respective order and located near the end of the respective order, in combination, means for transporting the strip backwards along a predetermined path so that each end-of-order marking is at the leading end of the respective customer order; a severing station arranged along said path including severing means operative when activated for severing an individual strip section from the strip; an order-separating station located downstream of the severing station for receiving severed individual strip sections and including order-separating means operative when activated for performing an order-separating operation upon a group of strip sections constituting one customer order; first detecting means located along the transport path and operative for detecting each individual-section marking, generating a corresponding individual-section signal and activating the severing means; second detecting means located along the transport path and operative for detecting each end-of-order marking and generating a corresponding end-of-order signal; and storage means receiving the end-of-order signals and the individual-section signals and operative for activating the order-separating means in response to receipt of an end-of-order signal followed by receipt of a plurality of individual-section signals, the number of individual-section signals in said plurality of individual-section signals being such as to introduce into the activation of the order-separating means a time delay compensating for the backwards transport of the strip. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, said storage means comprising a shift register comprised of a plurality of shift-register stages, the shift register having an information-signal input connected to the second detecting means for receipt and registration of the end-of-order signals and a shift-signal input connected to the first detecting means for receipt of the individual-section signals and having an information-signal output for furnishing as the activating signals for the order-separating means the end-of-order signals shifted through the shift register. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in claim 4, more than one of the shift-register stages having information-signal inputs and including means for alternatively connecting to the second detecting means the information-signal inputs of different ones of the shift-register stages to establish different respective time delays.